Detachable clamp



Oct. 16, 1934; A R. PEGLAR 1,977,402

DETACHABLE CLAMP Filed Dec. 6, 1952 AR-Zeylar Patented Oct. 16, 1934UNITED STATES PATENT -oFFie'iE 7 1,977,402 7 DETACHABLE CLAMP Arthur R.Peglar, Columbus, Ohio Application December 6,1932, 'Serial No. 645,967

2 Claims.

" post Without the need of employing threaded fastening devices such asnow commonly used which are objectionable for various reasons well knownto the industry.

Another object of the invention lies in the 15 provision of a clamp ofthis character which is simple and durable in construction, easy. tooperate and one which corrosion will have little or no efiect to preventits positive operation in placing or removing the same from the terminalpost of the battery.

1 For a further understanding of the invention,

reference is to be had to the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the connector in place upon abattery terminal post;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken therethrough;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the connector;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a clamping member having means for theattachment of a fiat electrical conductor thereto.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the

numeral 1 designates the improved connector or clamp in its entirety.The connector includes a pair of separable arcuate clamping members 2and 3 spaced from one another and fitted around a terminal post 4 of abattery 5. Formed with the member 3 is an extension 6 having a 0 socket7 for the reception of one end of a cable 8 through which electricalcurrent is led from the battery to its point of use.

Arranged around the members 2 and 3 is an annulus or cam ring 9 which isof a height considerably less than that of the members 2 and 3 and hasits outer periphery 'shapedhexagonally to accommodate a wrench orsuitable tool,

(not shown) for effecting the rotation of the annulus. The inner Wall 10of the annulus or ring 9 is preferably tapered'or diverging down- Wardlyto conform with the similarly tapered outer Walls of the members .Z-and3 for the pu pose of coacting with said members to cause the same togripthe battery terminal. Formed with the upper edge surface of the annulusQis a pair of cams 11 which are adaptedtolunderlie and engage a pair ofcam-like projections 12 extending laterally from the upper outer edgesof the members 2 and 3.

It will be seen that as the annulus 9 is ro- 0 tated in a clockwisedirection, the cams 11 of the annulus will be forced or wedged under theprojections 12 of the members 2 and 3 and thereby cause the annulus 9 tobe moved in a downward direction upon the tapered outer sur- 175 facesof the clamping members with the result that said members will be drawntightly around the battery terminal and thus form a secure electricalcontact therewith. Due to the comparatively large surface engagementbetween the 0 cams 11 and the projections 12 together with the taperedcontact surfaces between the annulus and the clamping members, theannulus 9 will be frictionally held and locked in its tightened oradjusted position without the tendency of 55 becoming accidentallyloosened due to jars or vibrations which may be present when the batteryis used in connection with a motor vehicle.

It will be obvious that upon the rotation of the annulus in a reverse oranti-clockwise direc- 0 tion, the same will lose its tightened grip uponthe clamping members and the clamp may thus be readily removed from itsengagement with its associated battery terminal.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that a clamp has been provided whichis extremely simple in its construction, involving only threeinterlocking parts of which only one thereof is movable and operating tosecure the clamp in place. The construction of the clamp is 100therefore particularly suitable and practical as means for attachingelectric conductors or cables to automobile storage batteries in thatattachment and detachment thereof may be made quickly and easily withoutthe necessity of utilizing threaded fastening elements such as bolts orthe like which are tedious, cumbersome and oftentimes requiring specialtools for effecting their removal. The clamp, due to its separableclamping sections, together with no the large engaging contact betweenthe cooperating cam faces, will fit various sized terminals therebyeliminating the necessity of forming a special clamp for each sizeterminal used.

When the clamp is to be used for attaching. a flat electrical conductor13 as shown in Fig. 5, only one of the clamping members need to beexchanged as the clamping member, with the exception of the specialconductor attachment, is similar in shape to that of the clamp shownwherein the usual round electrical conductor or cable is used.

Although the clamp has been shown in connection with a battery terminalpost, it will be understood that the same may be used in other fields ofemployment such as clamping collars or hubs to shafts or for clampingother devices or parts to associated machinery and I therefore do notdesire to limit myself to the single use illustrated but reserve theright to use the construction wherever found desirable. It will also beunderstood that slight changes may be made in the shape and constructionof the clamp without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A battery terminal clamp comprising a pair of arcuate clampingmembers adapted to be fitted over the battery terminal, said membershaving their outer faces tapered and provided of separable membersadapted to be fitted over the battery terminal and of which one of saidmembers is formed with a cable socket therewith, the outer side faces ofsaid members being tapered downwardly and outwardly over their fullheight, cam shaped projections formed with the upper ends of saidmembers, and a movable ring around said members having cam shapedsurfaces formed with its upper side which are adapted for engagementwith the cam faced projections of said members, whereby upon rotation ofsaid ring relative to said members, the

opposing cam faces will effect the downward 1 movement of said ring uponthe tapered outer faces of said members, thereby forcing said clampingmembers into firm engagement with the terminal of the battery.

ARTHUR R. PEGLAR.

